Being a mobile travel consultant has taken on new meaning for Alexa Petherick, currently TravelManagers representative for Lennox Heads in Northern New South Wales.

Until recently, Petherick has claimed many cities as home as she house sat her way around southern Queensland after moving from Adelaide where she first joined TravelManagers. Throughout this time Petherick has still been able to service her existing clients while picking up new ones along the way.

“One of the main reasons for joining TravelManagers was purely around the flexibility it offered me. I can easily work whilst travelling and I enjoy working from cafes across various Australian coastal towns. I love the thought of venturing in to the unknown, making new friends and seeing new places,” says Petherick.

Petherick found it hard to settle back in Australia after living for many years overseas and found house sitting around Australia a great way to curve her travel bug.

“Having spent six years travelling around the United Kingdom, Europe and the Caribbean, it was the West Indies lifestyle I wanted most to emulate back home. I knew I wanted to move interstate but did not want to commit to rentals so decided on house sitting as a way to get a feel for various areas, attachment free. It was the best decision I made,” she says.

Many people think that an office is required to operate effectively but Petherick can clearly demonstrate that this is not the case and proves to be a great example of how working remotely, in an advancing technological world is truly effective.

“I travel light! With only two bags of clothes, my laptop, a MAC desktop with all client documentation stored securely online, printer and two surfboards fitting into my Suzuki Swift, I truly am mobile. I have access to the broadest and most in-depth support and infrastructure available, enabling me to deliver superior service to my clients. TravelManagers’ technology is second to none, I am now even opening my existing clients’ eyes to Skype and they love it. I can still access everything I could as if I was working from an office,” says Petherick

Petherick a proactive networker says it’s easy to find new business.

“I’m very social and join the local Cross Fit gym and paddleboard group in each town I visit. I met a group of eight women when I went for a stand up paddleboard and three asked for business cards. Whilst I was trying on a dress in a clothes store the owner asked for a business card as she is looking to travel to Turkey next year. New business is really only a conversation away,” she says.

Petherick is a great example of TravelManagers’ philosophy for how each personal travel manager uniquely manages their own businesses, depending on their personal circumstances.

“The ability to work effectively in any place, at any time, is critical and we wholeheartedly encourage this thinking and provide the appropriate support through our national support office and State based business partnership managers. Alexa epitomizes TravelManagers’ philosophy of turning every single transaction into a long term client relationship no matter the location,” says TravelManagers’ Executive General Manager Michael Gazal.

It’s easy to see Petherick loves what she does and has the support of her existing loyal client base.

“I truly love what I do, and feel I have the best job in the world. All of my clients are aware of my house sitting adventures, many saying they wish they had jobs allowing them the freedom and flexibility to do what I do. Being business owners, my clients understand modern day business is done online with people working in various locations. I believe if you love what you do, are passionate and work hard, location does not matter. There is no other option but to make it a success,” says Petherick.

TravelManagers’ personal travel manager Alexa Petherick chats to fellow traveller Jacqueline King (left) on board a dive boat in the Maldives. Ms. King became a client and booked her next holiday to the Caribbean

For more information on Australasia’s leading home-based host agency or to speak to someone confidentially about TravelManagers, Suzanne Laister can be contacted on 1800 019 599.